Quiz: Howstuffworks

Which Cardinal Direction Are You?

Ian Fortey

Image: Utamaru Kido/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Nearly every culture on Earth managed to establish a set of directions to help orient themselves at some time in history because how could we not? The way we navigate life involves navigating the world on which we live and that means knowing where things are. We need direction to determine where to go and how to get there. How to tell others where we are, or where other things of importance are. Without direction, what do we have? A set of landmarks lost in space? That helps no one. So direction has long been key to who we are and how we live. And given their incredible importance, is it a stretch to wonder how the cardinal directions, North, South, East, and West, relate to you as a person? Each direction really does have its own unique flair and the very words tend to represent certain thoughts and feelings without any other context required.

So who are you? Which was does your inner compass point? What cardinal directions peaks to the soul of you as a person as you navigate your way through life along whatever path you're on? We bet we can make a pretty good guess. All you need to do is take the quiz!

It's Monday morning and your alarm just went off. What's the first thing you do?

Head to the washroom

Curse out that alarm

Hit snooze

Leap out of bed refreshed and alive

When you're finally out of bed and ready to start your day, what happens next?

Check out my phone and see what's new in the world

I demand coffee.

A nice, leisurely breakfast

A brisk shower to freshen up

Before you head out to meet the day, are you making your bed?

What?

I'm gonna say no.

It's just going to get messy again, why bother?

Of course!

As it stands right now do you have a decent sense of direction?

It's fine, I guess.

Terrible

I've gotten lost a few times.

Excellent

When you leave the house in the morning, how would you most like to get where you're going?

Uber!

I'm driving.

I could take a walk.

I'd ride a bike.

Let's say you're heading to work. What are the odds you're going to be late?

Even odds

I'm usually pretty punctual.

Hey, if it happens, it happens.

I'm always early.

Suppose you do get lost on the highway and your cellphone is out of commission. What now?

I'll ask for some help.

I can figure it out eventually.

There are signs everywhere, I should be fine.

Maybe a map will help.

You're making decent time on the way to work except some jerk just cut you off. Are you cool with that?

That might merit a middle finger.

I will rage! Rage!!

That's fine.

Well, as long as no one got hurt

When the workday starts, do you jump right into things or do you need someone to clue you in on what's up?

Every day is pretty unique, so I might need some guidance.

I have a decent idea of how my day will play out.

I'll wait until someone lets me know what to do.

I'm always ready to go.

Do you spend a lot of time chatting with coworkers or are you always on task?

Depends on the day

I like to keep to myself.

If I can slack off you better believe I'm doing it.

I try to finish my work before socializing.

It's hard to go a whole workday without checking social media. Lucky you have break time! What's your social media app of choice?

Snapchat

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Lunchtime rolls around, what are you going to be doing?

I'll probably go out and get who knows what.

More coffee

I'll just have whatever.

I packed a lunch!

You had a snack in the office fridge, but what the heck? Someone stole it! Now what?

Maybe I'll just snag something else.

I am going to flame this whole company online.

Man ... that sucks.

I'll have to take this up with management.

If we plopped you in the woods with no GPS, do you think you could find your way out?

Definitely

I certainly hope so.

Nah, you just killed me in the woods.

I'm pretty confident.

Some coworkers are standing around the ol' water cooler talking about a new movie they want to see. You just saw it! Are you dropping spoilers?

I'll tease some stuff without giving away the mystery.

I am a spoiler machine.

Nah, they can watch when they watch it.

I'll join in but spoil nothing.

The workday is winding down and people are clearly getting a little sluggish. Are you working right to the last minute?

Yeah, but it won't be high-quality work.

I'll spend the last 10 minutes in the bathroom.

If I could have left a half-hour ago I would have.

Of course!

A coworker needs a ride home after work and they're sort of but not quite on your way. Are you helping out?

Sure, I have time.

Less "sort of" and more "not quite."

I'd rather just get home and chill.

Of course!

On the average workday, are you heading right home afterward or do you have things to do?

I usually like to go to a few places and run some errands.

I'll make a detour if I have to.

I just want to get home so I can relax.

I've probably got one or two errands scheduled.

If you plan to pick up some fast food on the way home, where do you think you'll stop?

Someplace I've never been before

McDonald's

Taco Bell

I don't really do fast food.

What's the best way to remember the cardinal directions?

Never Eat Soggy Wieners

There are only four directions, why do I need help?

Never Eat Shredded Wheat

Naughty Elephants Spray Water

You finally get home from work. What's the first thing you do?

Get a snack

Have a drink

Flop on the couch

Check the mail

How likely is it that your friends were sending you texts all day while you were at work?

I probably got a few.

Not very likely

I dunno, I'm bad at checking messages.

They definitely would have sent some.

What do you most look forward to when you get home after a long day at work?

Spending time with family and friends

Naptime

Netflix

Working out

Are you the kind of person who does a home-cooked meal every night or not?

I do love to cook.

Well, I might heat up a frozen dinner.

I prefer ordering in.

It all depends on the day.

Are you cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, or is that going to have to wait a while?

Someone else can probably clean it.

I'll clean up before I go to bed.

I can do it tomorrow, right?

Might as well clean it right away.

If you know you have a busy day tomorrow, how late are you going to stay up tonight?

Probably around 11 or so

Until about 10

Meh, who knows. Maybe midnight or so

Early to bed, early to rise!

Are you the kind of person who remembers what you dream about?

Sometimes!

Never

I have a vague idea.

Always

You're finally getting a week off work. Where are you going to go?

Someplace fun and exotic

I'm staying home and doing nothing.

Someplace with room service

Disneyworld!

Do you have any direction in your life?

More or less

I'm on track.

None

I like to think so.

What's the one climate you could never stand living in?

Swampland

Any place super humid

Anyplace cold

A desert

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